Opiniones de usuarios

In spite of the harsh user comments regarding this film, it is an entertaining and thought provoking late 1960's film. The criticism of Patty Duke's performance seems to me to be at least somewhat unfair and exaggerated. In my opinion, she does an admirable job with her character and handles the role of a star who is struggling with the pressures of fame. It is really quite uncomfortable to watch this film in the present day, if one already is keenly aware of the horrible fate that is in store for Sharon Tate, at the hands of Charles Manson's drugged-out groupies. Not a great film, but much better than the users here would have you believe.

This movie truly is badly done and campy. However, there is one good reason to watch it: Sharon Tate. She was truly one of the screen's all time beauties (if you disagree at first, name someone prettier =)

She is not a bad actress either and did her best with the forced, artificial dialog. Overall the movie has virtually no suspense or drama or tension it just chugs along predictably with one badly written scene after another. Then all of sudden Wham! Sharon appears and you stop caring about the worthless "plot" and watch her. She steals all her scenes and makes the other actresses invisible.

All in all its a bittersweet vehicle for an extraordinarily lovely woman who met a very violent and tragic end.

This is it, kiddies, the Grande Dame of camp classics. The sheer ineptitude of everyone involved is staggering. Mark Robson directs without a trace of nuance or subtlety; Patty Duke and Susan Hayward come off as boozy drag queens; Sharon Tate and Barbara Parkins look and act as if they had taken one downer too many; Dory and Andre Previn's musical numbers are as funny as those in "The Operetta"--the "I Love Lucy" episode which parodied musical theater; Billy Travilla concocts some of the most glamorously god-awful gowns ever seen; and Kenneth (of Hairstyles by Kenneth, of course) must be personally responsible for the hole in the ozone layer, so lacquered, teased and towering are his creations. But, you know what? IT ALL WORKS. The source material--Jacqueline Susann's groundbreaking, scandalous novel--begs for sledgehammer direction, overripe acting and eyepopping fashions. Certainly, subtlety was not a hallmark of Jackie's work. If anything, VOTD should have been even MORE over-the-top. Due to restrictions of the time, the film is sadly devoid of such juicy plotlines as Jennifer's lesbian affair, Tony's preference for - ahem - rear-entry intercourse, and Neely walking in on Ted Casablanca's tryst with another man. What we have, instead, is an endlessly entertaining piece of cinematic trash that is nowhere near as racy as it would like us to believe; and that's part of its twisted charm. Because it fails on so many levels--as true art, as explicitly sexual titillation, or as a faithful adaptation of a popular book--it's downright inspiring that it comes together so brilliantly. VOTD's ultimate triumph is that, despite its incredible waste of talent, time and money, 30 years later, we're still watching.

Wow! What a movie! I didn't know what to expect going into this. But I didn't expect for Valley Of The Dolls to be this good!!! I saw this movie in the Criterion Collection and wanted to check it out since it starred Sharron Tate, and being a true crime nerd, plus having loved Margo Robbie's performance of Sharron Tate in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, I knew I was only doing myself a disservice having not seen a Tate film. I really did love her performance in this movie and thought she did a great job of giving a sobering performance. It was almost haunting. But the surprise of the movie was seeing Patty Duke as one of the staring characters. I felt her character stole the show. Really really enjoyed it.

The movie equivalent of that tub of mint chip ice cream you eat by yourself. Gaudy, tawdry, garish, you don't watch this movie, you wallow in it. For those who have no qualms about occasionally tossing good taste to the winds, there are few films that are as much fun.

Heavily edited between original book and final screenplay, VOTD still brings new depths to scenery chewing, cat fights, and glahmoor. BIG hair clashes with BIG egos as dialogue runs the gamut from whispered sincerity to bellowed anguish to shrieked disdain. Lessons are learned, vodka is drained, and dolls are abused to wake you up, put you to sleep, and help you get over the fact you signed the contract to do this movie and there's no way out. Your head will spin over how quickly and easily Barbara Parkins gets through her ordeals (any explanations gladly accepted!), yet meeting a Barbra Streisand lookalike sends Patty Duke off the wagon. SWOON over a soundtrack that sounds like it might have been written the night before filming started! GASP as Sharon Tate's character gets involved in nudie films that are a sight better than this one! LAUGH as you watch the Dance of Patty Duke's Necklace! THINK as you see why Judy Garland bailed when she had the chance! Everybody! On the count of three! One, two, three! NEEEEEELLLLLYYYYYY O'HAAAARRRRAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have watched this movie at least 50 times, maybe more. I love all three women characters. From beginning to end, every line I can repeat from memory. The musical theme is touching. I give it a rating of ten.

I give this film a 1 on the good film scale, but 10 on the so bad its good scale. You want melodrama? This is your film. Every aspect of this film is over-done, and if you are not in the mood for something like this avoid it. BUT if you watch it with a group of people, all with a sense of humor, you will find it great fun. My personal fave line in the film? "I'm not drunk...I'm merely traveling incognito!"

I first saw this movie when it was released. I never appreciated it until I was older. Totally camp...totally PERFECT. Fashion, hair, acting, music. The whole package. Definitely on my list of top five favorite movies of all time! I know it's not good....but, damn, it's GREAT!!!! Patty Duke is trying SO hard to make this movie real,which just makes it worse...or better, depending on your view! I can't wait till it comes out on DVD. There are so many memorable moments from this film. Rent it, buy it... watch it on cable. But SEE IT! Valley of the Dolls ROCKS! "Sparkle Neeley, SPARKLE!" Let this generation have "Showgirls"-- WE have Valley of the Dolls!

Anne Welles (Barbara Parkins) is a lawyer from the country, who decides to move to New York. There, she gets a job in a successful lawyer's office, where many artists of show-business are represented. She becomes friend of Jennifer North (the gorgeous Sharon Tate), who is the wife of the artist Tony Polar (Tony Scotti), and Neely O'Hara (Patty Duke), who is beginning in her career in show-business. Anne starts dating and falls in love with Lyon Burke (Paul Burke), who is one of the owners of the company where she works. Then, Anne is invited to be the symbol of some cosmetics in TV commercials and she becomes famous. The three young women will have their lives affected by the use of drugs, in different levels. Yesterday I watched this movie for the first time in cable television. In 1967, I was too young to go to the movie theater, and this film has not been released on VHS or DVD in Brazil. I found it surprisingly updated, having a good story. The `dolls' was a slang for drugs (more specifically pills). The plot has drama and romance, and a wonderful theme song, sang by Dionne Warwick and directed by John Williams. Although not been an outstanding or unforgettable film, in my opinion, the `IMDB User Rating' of 5.4 is very unfair. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): `Vale das Bonecas' (`Valley of the Dolls')

"Valley of the Dolls" is one of the best bad movies of the sixties, very entertaining in parts, and with a great score (which was nominated for an Academy Award back in 1968).

I think the weak acting was a result of Mark Robson's careless direction. The three leads, Parkis, Duke, and Tate, have all their bright moments in this movie, but they're just MOMENTS. Any of their characters are convincing, but at least poor Tate does a fair job (considered her lack of experience) as Jennifer, the film's most sympathetic character. It's Miss Hayward's performance, though, that steals the movie.

Otherwise this movie has a ridiculous story, a more-than-questionable message, trashy-looking sets, unintentional laughs, bad dialogues and pretty much the worst photography I've ever seen in a major Hollywood movie (it makes any daily soap look like a piece of art!).

The film adaptation of Valley of the Dolls is stupid, empty, overly melodramatic...and a lot of fun!

Jacqueline Susann's 1966 novel is my all-time favorite, and her gritty, glossy pulp material was severely diluted for the big screen. That is the main problem. Too many punches are pulled, the characters are sweetened up, and a completely ridiculous happy ending (which Jackie hated) is substituted for the book's bleak, satisfying conclusion. Mark Robson's film has none of the spirit of its basis.

With that out of the way, the movie is very enjoyable for what it is: An unintentional laugh riot. The dialogue is hilarious and eminently quotable--"Boobies, boobies, boobies! Nothin' but boobies! Who needs 'em? I never had any! Didn't hurt me none!" Most of the supposedly "dramatic" and "touching" scenes are a scream. Patty Duke is priceless as the speech-slurring, tantrum-throwing, self-destructive Neely O'Hara. Watch her flailing around during the "It's Impossible" number; notice the embarrassing position of her beads. Barbara Parkins seems to have taken one Seconal too many before shooting, as she appears to be completely anesthetized. Susan Hayward gets to bellow a lot, fight with Duke, and get her wig thrown into a toilet in the most famous scene. The only one who comes off really well is Sharon Tate, a talent who never got the attention she deserved in life. Hers are the only genuinely affecting moments in the film, especially her final scene.

The candy-colored photography is good, beautifully capturing the glossy red capsules taken at every turn. The hair and fashions are glamorous--and so is the hairspray can! Dionne Warwick sings the beautiful theme, and the rest of the songs are enjoyably silly. I have the soundtrack LP--TWO copies! In conclusion, the ultimate camp classic! I'm off to take another doll now....

Among the most legendary of trashy movies, "Valley of the Dolls" is also compulsively entertaining. Anne Welles leaves the pristine snow-covered village of Lawrenceville for the savage Broadway jungle in Manhattan. Based on the lurid best-selling novel by Jacqueline Susann, the film chronicles the rise and fall of three young women: Welles, played by Barbara Parkins; Neely O'Hara, played by Patty Duke; and Jennifer North, played by Sharon Tate. Evidently, life is easy street in New York, at least at first, because opportunities are thrown at their feet; secretaries with scant shorthand skills become hair-spray models, mediocre singers become sensations, and women with bodies become stars of French art films.

Reportedly a roman-a-clef drawn from well known show business personalities, "Valley of the Dolls" is glossy, big-budget nonsense from director Mark Robson, who previously directed such decent films as "Von Ryan's Express," "Peyton Place," and "The Bridges at Toko-ri." Perhaps Robson thought lightening would strike twice, and he could fashion another critical hit like "Peyton Place" from another trashy novel like Grace Metalious's 1950's scandalous best seller. However, "Valley of the Dolls" is no "Peyton Place." While Robson drew excellent performances from Lana Turner and a distinguished cast in his earlier soap opera, he unleashes his cast, and they go over the top in "Valley of the Dolls." Although directing three Oscar-winning actresses (Susan Hayward, Lee Grant, and Patty Duke), Robson let them chew the scenery shamelessly. While the bitchy performances provide guilty entertainment, they are often risible. Hayward is Helen Lawson, a tough Broadway veteran, who leaves no survivors; Hayward's badly staged musical number pits her against an out-of-control mobile, and her wig-pulling duel with Duke is justifiably famous for campy hilarity. Duke overplays the bitchiness throughout, and her final scene is a histrionic masterpiece of bad acting. The flashbacks of Duke in a sanitarium will have viewers rolling, especially when her toe cuts through a sheet. Only Lee Grant retains her dignity and under-plays a small, thankless role. Meanwhile, Sharon Tate is lovely, but wooden, and Barbara Parkins and Paul Burke do little with what little they are given by the script.

The film's budget was obviously generous, and the now-dated 1960's fashions, make-up, and hair styles could be studied and copied for period films set in that decade. Also dated and offensive are repeated references to gays as queers, fags, and faggots; but, in fairness, the all-white cast lacks other minorities to denigrate. Except for the title song sung by Dionne Warwick, the tunes are instantly forgettable, although a duet between recovering addict Duke and wheel-chair bound Tony Scotti is like something out of "Airplane." The dialogue is either intentionally or unintentionally funny at times, and the use of "dolls" to refer to pills sounds forced. Although Robson likely entertained fantasies of producing another soap opera masterpiece on the order of "Peyton Place" or "Imitation of Life," he instead left a camp classic that is a guilty pleasure for many.

I could go on and on trashing this 1960's potboiler but it has been done before by many. Let me just say that this film is a.) so bad that it becomes 100% camp. b.) glossy and superficial like a TV soap opera. c.) technically well made and visually appealing in a pop 60's way d.) NEVER boring! It isn't dull anywhere! Just rent this kitsh sit back and wallow in hysterical laughter. There are so many lines that will have you rolling on the floor. Patty Duke overacts horribly so by the end of the picture she is in an alley rolling herself around garbage cans! Susan Hayward chews the scenery shamelessly, Sharon Tate just poses and Barbra Parkins at least gives a credible performance. Add to this "the addictive dolls", mental institutions, French New Wave and Jacqueline Susann herself (the author of the novel) as a nosy reporter at one character's suicide scene and you have a classic trash camp film possibly of all time. I give it 7/10 because film is a time capsule of 1960's bad taste cinema presented in an entertaining high end look.

I've seen trashier movies and have guiltier pleasures in seeing them than Valley Of The Dolls. But many people swear by this film as the trashiest of all and who am I to argue.

Not that Jacqueline Susann ever pretended to write anything but commercial potboilers. Those who bought her books saw her films and that of Harold Robbins as well.

Susann hung around the world of show business and knew a whole lot of people both in their public and private lives. I won't say who the various characters are based on, but I think if one has a good knowledge of our culture, one can identify who they are.

The book centers around three young women who live at the famous Martha Washington Hotel for women in New York City and all become famous and involved in show business in various ways. Barbara Parkins starts as a secretary in a theatrical agency and gets 'discovered' there by soap magnate Charles Drake. She's also involved with agent Paul Burke, but neither can quite commit. In the meantime Parkins becomes famous for her soap commercials.

The tragic Sharon Tate is beautiful, but talentless. She uses her looks quite successfully to get by. After using a number of older sugar daddies to support her in good style, she falls for nightclub singer Tony Scotti whose career is managed, micro-managed would be better, by his sister Lee Grant. Tate thinks she's found true love, but tragedy awaits on screen and in real life when Tate fell into the cross-hairs of the murderous Manson family.

Patty Duke is the very talented one who gets kicked out of a Broadway show by jealous older star Susan Hayward, but that kind of talent can't be hidden long. But Duke starts abusing all kinds of substance and gets way out of control. She exacts a measure of revenge somewhat over Hayward, but it really doesn't do her much good in the end. They both end up the same way, but Hayward has quite a bit more perspective on it.

The attraction for me in this film is Susan Hayward who shines even in high gloss trash. Your breath is taken away at how all the players know they're in junk, but go at it with a bravura style.

Valley Of The Dolls got an Oscar nomination for John Williams for his musical scoring. Andre and Dory Previn wrote some serviceable numbers for the film, nothing more.

It's trash, but I love it.

This film has everything: (1) A pure, virginal heroine (Barbara Parkins). (2) A basically nice kid corrupted by "Show Business" (Patty Duke). (3) A talentless but good-hearted beauty who meets a sad end (Sharon Tate). (4) An aging musical comedy star desperate to protect her position (Susan Hayward). (5) An assortment of weak, false and unfaithful men (Martin Milner, Tony Scotti and Paul Burke). (6) A seemingly controlling sister-in-law who is hiding a TERRIBLE SECRET (Lee Grant). (7) Several musical numbers with beautiful arrangements (Andre Previn and John Williams) but atrocious lyrics (Dory Previn). (8) Said performers cavorting in front of glamorous sets and handsome scenery. (9) A "Moralistic Happy" ending. (10) Uninterrupted Stupidity.

Remember the first time you saw "Plan Nine From Outer Space"? Did you laugh? Did you have a difficult time keeping up with the story line?

Well, "Valley Of The Dolls" is in the same vein, but there actually is a story line...three girls looking for fame, love, etc....you know...what all girls are looking for, except that these girls have some real problems.

There is our heroine, Anne Welles (Barbara Parkins), who leaves the snowfall of New England for the slush of New York. Naturally, she ends up with a dream job upon arrival, meets Mr. Heartthrob, tangles with the nasty Helen Lawson (Susan Hayward...who took the role after Judy Garland was fired), becomes a super model overnight...all the things that happen to most girls.

Then there's Jennifer North (Sharon Tate), who only has a body (and what a body it is) but she can't act (probably the only honest role in the film). She too falls in love, except this guy is a real cheesy lounge singer ("Come Live With Me"), who happens to harbor a deep, dark secret which will drive Jennifer to do unspeakable things with dirty French director.

And then there is Neely O'Hara (Patty Duke). I saved her for last...and rightfully so. She steals the scene, in fact, she steal every scene. Forget Stanislavsky, forget Lee Strasberg, forget acting 101...Patty is in a school of her own.

Watch Patty as she walks out "with dignity" from Ms. Lawson's show. Watch Patty as she claws her way to the top, singing some of the worst songs ever written for the silver screen. Watch Patty's fame evaporate into Pills and Booze. Watch Patty make mincemeat out of Ms. Lawson's wig. Watch Patty in her final, star-stopping scene (warning: turn down your volume).

All in all, this is a great film if you need a laugh. And to get an even better laugh, keep telling yourself that everybody is trying to be serious in this movie.

This films has more campy lines, more wigs and more bad 60s fashions than any other film. If you haven't seen and loved this film, you don't know camp. You might want to prep yourself with the three minute movie trailer on YouTube.

Before I start this review, let me note that I'm not one who tends to pay attention to acting, so while I don't disagree with criticisms that the acting is mediocre, I didn't notice the apparent bad acting much and, therefore, I wasn't bothered by it. What I instead saw was a compelling story with a couple flaws here and there. If acting and dialogue are deal breakers for you though, you probably won't enjoy this film and may be bothered by the disconnect between the unintentionally funny bits and the straight-faced drama of the film. But again, these aren't elements I tend to care much about, so while I'm not going to pretend this is a good film, it is a good film for me. I, for one, was taken in by the three main characters as their individual stories of faded dreams and the forces both inside and outside their control which tore them down throughout the film were compelling and made for a handful of tragic scenes. Jennifer's final scene stuck out as especially moving, in fact. And this is all topped with the melancholy look of various shots and the haunting soundtrack from Dionne Warwick. The only thing holding my rating back is how certain phases of the individual character arcs felt rushed. Because of that, the breakdown-recovery-breakdown cycle didn't always feel true to the characters. The worst offender for this was Neely's actions after being released from the sanitorium. The execution of her arc after that felt very hodgepodge and some more breathing room would've worked wonders. Fortunately though, the film is mostly well-executed and, while the hammy bits will provide a cap to many people's enjoyment of it, I enjoyed my time with it well enough.

The year 1967 could be considered the year when adult content in motion pictures started to become more open.

The subject matter of movies became more daring and challenging (e.g.: In the Heat of the Night, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, The Graduate). Some movies introduced violent content like never before (Bonnie and Clyde, In Cold Blood, The Dirty Dozen) and just a year earlier, Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf? broke ground on profanity in film when it was allowed to have the Motion Picture Association of America seal. Around that time, the Hays Office slowly slipped into oblivion.

I get the feeling Valley of the Dolls was still under the Hays Office's thumb when the movie was being produced. The film wanted to capture in a no-holds barred manner the goings-on within the entertainment business and how it affected three ambitious young women. Without reading Jacqueline Susann's novel, I believe many punches were pulled. In the end, all of the changes made the movie very silly. I certainly don't have a problem calling this movie one of the best bad movies ever made.

The acting ranged from flat (Barbara Parkins, Sharon Tate, Paul Burke) to disappointing (Susan Hayward & Lee Grant) to way-over the top (Patty Duke). The dialog was laughable but I do admit that the Hayward/Duke cat fight was a scream. Many scenes that were supposed to be poignant and serious were very embarrassing.

I hated just about all of the songs. The only song that I thought survived this mess intact was the theme song sung by Dionne Warwick and written by Andre Previn and Dore Previn.

Even though I've trashed this film that definitely deserves to be trashed, this is probably the 9th or 10th time I've seen this movie in many years. Valley of the Dolls is ugly, garish, disgusting garbage but considering it was a major hit when it was released and people still have a good time watching this movie, I guess it serves some purpose like watching a bad auto wreck on the interstate.